1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to non-contact measuring devices and, more particularly, to a handheld measurement device that uses laser emitter/receiver components and a computer processing unit to perform calculations of distance, angle, arc length and/or the radius between two points.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Non-contact measurement devices for quickly and accurately obtaining straight-line distance and angle measurements are well known in the related art. These devices typically use one or more light generating components which emit a light signal or pulse through a lens and onto a surface of a structure associated with the desired measurement. Light energy returns from the surface and through the same detector lens or a separate lens. The data collected from the light pulse transmission and return (i.e. receipt) is used to determine straight-line distance, usually based on elapsed time between light pulse transmission and receipt.
Examples of non-contact distance measurement devices are found in U.S. Patents to Ehbets et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,531; Gaechter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,576; Hinderling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,411,371; and Hertzman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,112.
Examples of non-contact measurement devices which determine both straight-line distance and angles between two points are found in the U.S. Patents to Pease, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,593,587, 6,858,857, and 6,858,858.
An example of a non-contact measurement device that determines diameter and radius is found in the U.S. Patent to Gelbart, U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,273. The device in Gelbart is not a handheld device, but uses light emitting devices to project two beams of light through a lens. One beam of light is directed to the center of the object being measured and the other beam is directed at a fixed distance from the first beam. The beams reflect off of the object and the angle between the reflected beams is used to determine the radius.
Despite the extensive knowledge and developments in the art of non-contact measurement using one or more light emitter/receiver devices, there remains an urgent need for a single handheld, compact device which performs non-contact measurements to determine straight-line distance, angle, arc length and/or the radius of a physical structure.